Breathtaking Vintage Lamps Found At Estate Sale Called The 'Score Of A Lifetime'

All vintage hunters know that estate sales can go one of two ways. Either you go home empty-handed or stumble across something really valuable, like jadeite glass. However, there is a third scenario that all vintage hunters dream of: finding the score of a lifetime. And there is perhaps no item that better meets this criteria than breathtaking Tiffany lamps.

Created by artist Louis Comfort Tiffany, these lamps are defined by their exceptionally beautiful lamp shades made of leaded stained glass. Popular patterns for the time they were produced (1890-1932) included butterfly, dragonfly, daffodil, turtle, and wisteria motifs. Though sometimes confused for Art Deco pieces, Tiffany lamps were decidedly part of the Art Nouveau movement that typified design at the turn of the 20th century. Tiffany produced floor, table, hanging, and desk lamps.

When one TikTok user showed off a pair of lamps with bamboo motifs that she purchased at an estate sale, she admitted that she wasn't certain if they were real Tiffany designs. However, one of her followers still described them as the "score of a lifetime." The reason Tiffany lamps are such coveted estate sale finds is because, in the fine antiques market, they can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. As such, finding one on the cheaper end at an estate sale is enough to send any vintage hunter over the moon with joy. Having one of these lamps can add an aesthetic to your home that is at once cozy and very chic. There is a reason these lamps have remained popular for over a century. The trick is making sure you know what you're getting is the real deal.

Being the prized estate sale finds that they are, you'd think that just looking at a Tiffany lamp would be enough to prove its authenticity. However, this is not the case. Owing to their long-lasting popularity, there are numerous different faux Tiffany lamps out there that are styled so similarly to the originals that they are easily mistaken as such. While some vintage hunters might be fine with a worthy replica, others are going to want to make sure it's the real deal. Here's how you can tell.

First, it needs to be remembered that Tiffany lamps were a product of their time. The leaded glass was manufactured in such a way that it will produce a soft, jingling rattle if tapped. Another indicator of authenticity is the bronze that was used to make the bodies of the lamps.

However, the biggest authentication checkmark is the stamp. All true Tiffany lamps will have "Tiffany Studios New York" stamped onto them, followed by some part numbers. These are typically stamped directly onto the bases, so you will need to carefully pick up any lamp that looks authentic to see if it is there. If it is, that's one estate sale find you don't want to pass up. Hold onto it and bring that puppy home. No doubt you'll feel very triumphant.